Electrical circuit controlling thread cutter for looms



Oct. 25, 1955 B. J. MAYNOR ETAL 2,721

ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT CONTROLLING THREAD CUTTER FOR LOOMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 14, 1953 l & a ma mm m WM w w M \w s w .H m B Woonaow C. FINGHER.

ATTORNEYS Oct. 25, B. MAYNOR ET AL 2,721,583

ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT CONTROLLING THREAD CUTTER FOR LOOMS Filed Aug. 14, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- BRoAnus J. MAYNOR an). WOODROW C'HNCHER.

INVENTORS.

BY Mv-M ATTORNEYS United States Patent ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT CONTROLLING THREAD CUTTER FOR LOOMS Broadus J. Maynor and Woodrow C. Fincher,

Chesuee, S. C.

Application August 14, 1953, Serial No. 374,175

Claims. (Cl. 139-336.4)

This invention relates to automatic filling replenishing looms and, more especially, to an improved filling thread cutter and clamp device adapted to be associated with the usual filling replenishing mechanism of a loom.

When the filling thread on the bobbin or quill in the active shuttle of an automatic filling replenishing loom has been exhausted to a predetermined extent and the bobbin is about to be ejected from the shuttle so that a new bobbin with a fresh supply of filling may be inserted in its place, mechanism is brought into operation to clamp and part or cut the filling thread relatively near the shuttle and, in many instances, the filling thread is not effectively clamped by the clamping means so that it slips out ofthe clamping means or, in some instances, the clamping means fails entirely to engage the filling thread, although the filling thread may be severedh Of course, due to the tension in the filling thread, if it isnot properly clamped in the course of a filling replenishment or bobbin transfer operation, the spent filling end becomes unduly slackened in the shed or is carried into the shed on a subsequent stroke of the shuttle thereby forming imperfect cloth. The carrying of the filling end into the shed by the shuttle forms what is commonly termed as jerked-in filling.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved filling thread cutter and clamp having means to automatically stop the loom upon the clamping means being ineffective in clamping the spent filling end in the course of a bobbin transfer operation.

It is another object of this invention to provide improvements in a so-called Stafford type of thread cutter and clamp, such as shown in the patent to Stafford No. 1,568,481 of January 5, 1926, wherein the mating relatively movable clamping elements or fingers of the clamp are interposed in an electrical circuit and will close the electrical circuit when in contact with each other resulting from the absence of a filling thread being clamped therebetween. Of course, it is preferable that the electrical circuit also has the usual type of electrically operated stop motion interposed therein so that, upon malfunction of the clamp, the closing of the circuit by the mating clamping elements will complete a circuit to the conventional stop motion to immediately effect stoppage of the loom thereby obviating the occurrence of jerked-in filling in the cloth.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure l is a fragmentary end elevation of a portion of a loom showing the relation of the parts of the filling replenishing mechanism at thetime of replenishment of the filling, with the thread cutter and clamp acting upon the filling at the feeler slot of the shuttle and with por tions of the shuttle, shuttle box, and lay. in cross-section;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevation of details of the mechanism for moving the thread cutter and clamp to and from its thread engaging position; 1

'ice

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the front wall of the shuttle box and the thread cutter and clamp withdrawing the spent filling end from the shuttle box, and also showing, schematically, a typical electrically actuated stop motion for the loom;

Figure 4 is an enlarged exploded isometric view of the improved thread cutter and clamp shown in the central portion of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged elevation of the improved thread cutter and clamp looking substantially along line 55 in Figure 3, but showing the thread cutter and clamp in open position;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line 6-6 in Figure 5, showing the improved thread cutter and clamp in open position with a strand of filling thread extending therethrough;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6, but being taken along line 77 in Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7, but showing the cutter and clamp in closed position and wherein the clamping means has failed to clamp the spent filling end;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, but wherein the filling end is properly clamped between the mating clamping members of the improved filling end cutter and clamp.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the improved filling thread cutter and clamp is shown in association with a bobbin transfer or filling replenishing mechanism of a type usually provided on a so-called Draper loom, manufactured by Draper Corporation, Hopedale,

Massachusetts, and the improved filling thread clamp and cutter is actuated by the usual Stafford type of filling thread cutter and clamp actuating means, such as is disclosed in Patents Nos. 1,565,218 and 1,565,481. Although a specific type of bobbin transfer mechanism and thread cutter and clamp actuating means is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, it is to be understood that the principles of the present invention may be readily applied to any type of automatic loom and any type of thread cutter and clamp actuating means, as will become apparent as the description proceeds, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The loom includes the usual lay 10 which is driven to oscillate back and forth by the usual means, not shown, and which is provided with a shuttle box 11 at the replenishing end thereof, the front wall of which is provided with an open slot 12 which is adjacent the feeler slot 13 of a shuttle 14 when the latter is in replenishing position as shown in broken lines in Figure 3.

Disposed above and inwardly of the shuttle box 11 is a conventional magazine hopper 16, which may be conveniently secured to the breast beam, not shown, in the usual manner. The hopper holds a series of filling carriers, quills or bobbins 17 having a supply of filling thread wound thereon. The hopper 16 is shown as of the rotary type, but the invention is not restricted thereto, as any form of filling supplying hopper may be employed.

Extending outwardly from the usual hopper stand is an arm or dead shaft 20 on which is mounted the usual transferrer 21. The transferrer is normally under the influence of a spring 22 for maintaining it in raised or inoperative position and, extending downwardly from the transferrer 21 is an arm 23 having a dog 24 pivotally connected thereto, the end of which is adapted to be engaged by a bunter 25 on the lay 10 when filling replenishment is to be effected.

Secured to and extending downwardly from the dead shaft 20 (Figure 2) is a frame or bracket to which is secured, as by bolts 31, the guideway 32 of a sliding carrier 33 on which the improved thread cutter and clamp mechanism is mounted, as will be later described.

Loosely mounted on the dead shaft 20, and depending therefrom, is a carrier or slide operating member 34 whose lower end is bifurcated at 35 for the reception of a pin 36 extending from the slide 33. The operating member 34 is connected to the usual shuttle feeler, not shown in the present drawings, but being clearly shown in said patents, so that, as the shuttle feeler is moved rearwardly on call for replenishment of filling, the operating member 34 will move the thread cutter and clamp, to be later described, into its rearwardly operating position through the open slot 12 of the front wall of the shuttle box 11 adjacent the feeler slot 13 of the shuttle.

In the present instance, the operating member 34 is connected by a bridge arm 37 (Figure 2) to a depending arm 40. The shuttle feeler, a portion of which is shown in Figure 2 and indicated at 41, has the usual slotted arm 42 which is connected to the dog 24 for moving it into operative position on call for replenishment of filling, and the arm is connected by a spring 43 (Figure 2) to a pin 44 extending laterally from the arm 4%), the construction being such that, on call for replenishment of filling, the shuttle feeler, not shown, will be moved toward its rearward position and, through the action described, yieldingly move the thread cutter and clamp rearwardly for the performance of a thread cutting and clamping operation.

As will be later described, the improved thread cutter and clamp operates in substantially the same manner as the thread cutter and clamp disclosed in said patents and the loom is also provided with a conventional trip 45 pivotally supported, intermediate its ends, on a trip supporting bracket 46 (Figures 2 and 3) which extends outwardly and is suitably secured, as by a screw 47, to the outer surface of the guideway 32 (Figure 3). When the bobbin transfer takes place, the improved thread cutter and clamp is closed by a conventional actuater 50 carried by the transferrer 21. The parts for operating the improved clamp and cutter, as above described, may be substantially the same as those shown and described in said patents and a further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

In this instance, the loom is also provided with an electrically operated stop motion of the type which is usually controlled by drop-wires and which may, in the present instance, also be controlled by the improved fillingthread cutter and clamp. Such a mechanism for stopping the loom may be conventional or any other desired construction as exemplified in the patent to Brooks et al., No. 2,300,098 of October 27, 1952. As a further exemplification of a suitable loom stopping means which may be controlled by the improved thread cutter and clamp, to be later described, it will be observed in Figure 3 that one end of the coil of a solenoid has a wire or conductor 56 connected thereto which extends to the improved thread cutter and clamp and is con nected thereto in a manner to be later described. The other end of the coil of the solenoid 55 has a wire 57 extending therefrom to one end of a secondary coilor" a transformer 60, the other end of the secondary coil of the transformer 60 being grounded at 61.

The transformer 60 also includes a secondary coil to opposite ends of which wires or conductors 63 and 64 are connected and whose other ends are connected to opposite sides of a suitable plug 65 adapted to be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy, not shown. nected to a lever 67, one end of which is pivoted on the loom frame and the other end of which is connected to a link for controlling a movable part of the loom, such as a shipper lever, not shown, for stopping the loom upon energization of the coil of solenoid 55. The elements 55, 67 and 70 are representative of any of several different types of electrically operated means for stopping a loom, such as the solenoid ,25 in saidpatent to Brooks et al., and are shown by way of illustration only.

The plunger of solenoid 55 is pivotally con- Improved cutter and clamp per se The improved thread cutter and clamp are'carried by a conventional lug or boss 71 projecting inwardly from the carrier or slide 33, as indicated in Figures 3 and 4. Generally, the improved cutter and clamp, as embodied in the present application, is substantially the same as the usual type of Stafford thread cutter and clamp and as disclosed in said patents, with the exception that the movable clamp element of a pair of mating clamp elements or fingers is made from an insulation material and has a metallic tip thereon, which is also insulated from the movable cutter element, and to which the end of a wire remote from the conventional stop motion is connected, so that, in the absence of a spent filling end being clamped between the mating fixed and movable clamping elements, the metallic tip contacts the fixed clamp, which is grounded to the loom, to close the circuit to the electrically operated stop motion to effect loom stoppage.

As best shown in Figure 4, the improved filling thread cutter and clamp comprises serially arranged elements 72 to 78, inclusive, each of which is provided with an aperture or bore 81. The bores 81 are penetrated by a common pivot stud or shoulder screw 82 having its threaded end threadably embedded in an internally threaded bore 83 provided therefor in the lug 71 of the slide or sliding carrier 33. The element 72 may be termed a fixed cutter biasing leaf spring member which engages one side of the element 73, which element 73 may be termed a fixed metallic cutter element or finger, biased, by the spring 72, against one side of the element 74. Elements 74 may be termed a movable or pivoted cutter element or finger.

The pivoted cutter element 74 engages one side of the element 75 which may be termed a pivoted insulation finger or separator. The movable insulation separator 75 is adhesively or otherwise secured to one side of the element 76 which may be termed as an insulation clamp holder or finger, made of any suitable material such as compressed vulcanized fibers, whose rear free end terminates short of the rear end of the insulation separator 75 and has a metallic tip or clamp element adhesively or otherwise secured thereto. Of course, when the insulation separator 75 is adhesively secured to the adjacent side of the movable clamp holder 76, the clamp tip 85 is also adhesively or otherwise secured to the free end of the insulation separator 75.

Although the insulation separator finger 75 is shown as an element separate from the movable clamp holder 76, it is to be understood that the latter elements 75 and 76 may be molded as a single insulation finger, and the clamp tip 85 and wire 56 may be molded integral with the elements 75 and 76.

The surface of the movable clamp holder opposite from the insulation separator 75 engages one side of the element 77, which may be termed as a fixed metallic clamp element or finger and whose free end is cut away to provide a relatively narrow portion 86 thereon which cooperates with the clamp tip 85 for clamping spent filling end therebetween in the course of a bobbin transfer operation. The element 78 may be termed a clamp biasing spring which engages the outer surface of the fixed clamp element 77 and which has an inturned portion 87 on the free end thereof which engages in a cavity 90 providedtherefor in the adjacent surface of the fixed clamp element 77. Thus, all of the elements or fingers 73 to 77 inclusive, are resiliently clamped between the springs 72 and 78.

Now, the movable or pivoted cutter element 74, the insulation separator 75 and the movable clamp holder 76 pivot about the pivot stud or shoulder screw 82 relatively to ,the'cutter biasing spring 72, the fixed cutter element 73,. the fixed clamp .element 77 and the clamp biasing spring 78, and,.in order torestrainthesprings72 and.78,

the cutter element 73 and the clamp element 77 against pivotal movement, each of the element 72, 73 and 77 has an opening or notch 90 in its enlarged front end. The notches or openings 90 are engaged by a common anchor or locking pin 91, one end of which is suitably secured to the lug 71 on the sliding carrier 33. It will be noted that the enlarged front portions of the movable cutter element 74, the insulation separator 75 and the movable clamp holder 76 are each provided with a relatively large opening 92 intermediate the ends thereof through which the anchor pin 91 loosely extends to thereby permit the movable elements 74, 75 and 76 to be pivoted about the pivot stud or shoulder screw 82 relative to the fixed elements 72, 73 and 78. The guideway 32 is grounded to the loom frame, as at G (Figure 3), and it is thus seen that the springs 72 and 78 and fingers 73, 74 and 77 are grounded through contact with stud 82.

The front end of the movable cutter element 74 has one end of an operating pin 95 fixed therein which penetrates openings 96 and 97 in the enlarged front portions of the insulation separator 75 and the movable clamp holder 76, respectively. Of course, the operating pin 95 extends inwardly substantially beyond the movable clamp holder 76 so as to be disposed in the vertical plane of the trip 45 and the actuator 50 in the course of horizontal movement thereof.

The movable insulation clamp holder 76 has a longitudinally extending groove or channel 100 in its face adjacent the insulation separator 75, which groove is irregularly shaped in order to clear the stud 82, the anchor pin 91 and the operating pin 95. The wire or conductor 56, extending from the coil of the solenoid 55, enters the groove 100 at the foremost end of the movable clamp holder 76 and extends along the groove 100 and is suitably connected, as by soldering, to the clamp tip 85. The wire or conductor 56 is positioned in the groove 100 before the movable clamp holder 76 is secured against the insulation separator. As above stated, the wire 56, or a piece thereof, may be surrounded by a thermoplastic insulation material from which elements 75 and 76 may be molded as a unit.

Now the thread cutter and clamp, as indicated in Figure 3, is normally closed when the cutter and clamp is in its inoperative or forward position to thereby hold the spent filling end a leading to the cloth selvage and, in which instance, the spent filling end a is clamped between the metallic tip 85 and the tip portion 86 of the fixed clamp element 77 as shown in Figure 9.

On call for replenishment of filling, the thread cutter and clamp is opened to engage the filling at the feeler slot of the shuttle when in replenishing position. The opening of the thread cutter and clamp is effected by the trip 45 which engages the operating pin 95 as the thread cutter and clamp is moved rearwardly to its filling engaging position.

As the operating pin 95 engages the trip 45, the trip 45 causes the operating pin 95 to move upwardly and to thereby move the free rear ends of the movable cutter blade or element 74, the insulation separator 75, and the movable clamp holder 76, with its metallic tip 85, downwardly relative to the fixed cutter blade or element 73 and the fixed clamp element 77 as shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7. When the transfer takes place, the actuator 50 (Figure 1) moves downwardly with the transferrer 21 and engages the operating pin 95 of the improved thread cutter and clamp to thereby return the parts to the position shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 8 and 9.

Now, as heretofore stated, the fixed clamp element 77 is grounded to the loom frame through the pivot stud or shoulder screw 82, the lub 71 and its sliding carrier 33 and if, for any reason, the spent filling end is not clamped between the metallic tip 85 carried by the movable clamp holder and the narrow extension 86 on the fixed clamp element 77, as shown in Figure 8, the metallic tip 85 contacts the extension or narrow portion 86 as the mov- 6, able clamp finger 76 is moved to closed position by the actuator 5910 thereby complete the circuit to the coil of the solenoid 55, which causes the rod 70 to move from right to left in Figure 3 to thereby stop the loom.

On the other hand, if the spent filling end a is properly clamped between the movable clamp tip and the tip portion 86 of the fixed clamp element 77, as the movable clamp tip 85 is moved to the closed position shown in Figures 3 and 9, by means of the actuator 50, the spent filling end a then serves as an insulator between the metallic tip 85 of the movable clamp holder 76 and the metallic fixed clamp element 77 and the spent filling end is held by the clamp as it returns to its frontward or forward position and until the movable cutter element 74, the insulation separator 75 and the movable clamp holder 76 with its metallic tip 85 are again moved downwardly to open position by the trip 45 in the course of a succeeding bobbin transfer or filling replenishment opera tion.

It is thus seen that we have provided an improved cutter and clamp for looms which will make an electrical circuit upon failure of a spent filling end being clamped between the mating clamp elements 85 and 86 and which will serve to actuate the electrical stop motion of the loom to insure that the spent filling end is under proper tension in the cloth being woven and to prevent jerkedin filling at the selvage of the cloth being woven.

In order to start the loom after a loose spent filling end has been detected, the operator may manually open the improved thread cutter and clamp to move the metallic tip 85 out of contact with the narrow portion 86 of the fixed clamp element 77 to permit the loom to operate until a succeeding filling replenishment operation or bobbin transfer operation is called for in which the clamp tip 85 fails to clamp a spent filling end against the narrow portion 86 of the fixed clamp element 77.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set for a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

We claim:

1. In an automatic loom having an automatic filling thread replenishing apparatus and also having a spent filling end cutter and clamp including a pair of relatively movable clamp elements and automatically operable means for operating said clamp elements in the course of a filling replenishing operation, means operable automatically in the absence of a spent filling end being clamped between said relatively movable clamp elements for stopping the loom, said means including one of the clamps being made from insulation material and thereby insulated from the other, and having an elongated clamping portion of conductive material on one end engageable with the other clamp in the absence of a filling between the clamps, an electrical conductor embedded in said one of the clamps and having one end connected to the clamping portion and having its other end connected with a circuit to the other clamp, and means operable by the closing of the circuit for stopping the loom.

2. In a filling thread replenishing loom having a lay, a shuttle box at the replenishing side of the loom for receiving a shuttle, an electrically operated stop motion and a filling end cutter and clamp mechanism for cutting and clamping a spent filling end in the course of a filling replenishing operation; an improvement in said cutter and clamp mechanism including an elongated movable clamp holder attached to the cutter and clamp mechanism and made from insulation material, a fixed metallic clamp element attached to the cutter and clamp mechanism and being electrically grounded to said loom, a metallic clamp tip fixed to one end of the movable clamp holder, an electrical conductor connected at one end thereof to the metallic clamp tip and extending longitudinally of and being embedded in the clamp holder and having its other end connected to the electrically operated stop motion, and saidfmetallic clamp tip being adapted toclamp a spent filling endagainst the fixed clamp element in the course of a filling replenishing operation whereby, upon failure of the metallic clamptip to clamp a spent filling end against the fixed clamp element, the metallic clamp tip will contact the fixed clamp element to energize the electrically operated stop motion for stopping the loom.

3. In a filling thread replenishing loom having a lay, a shuttle box at the replenishing .side of the loom for receiving a shuttle, said loom having an electrically operated stop motion and a filling end cutter and clamp mechanism for cutting and clamping a spent filling end in the course of a filling replenishing operation; an improvement in said cutter-and clamp mechanism including an elongatedmovable clamp holder, made from insulation material, attached to the cutter and clamp mechanism and having a longitudinally extending channel therein, a fixed metallic clamp element attached to the cutter and clamp mechanism and being electrically grounded to said loom, a metallic clamp tip fixed to the movable clamp holder, and an electrical conductor connected at one end thereof to the metallic clamp tip and extending along said channel in the movable clamp element and being connected at. its other end to the electrically operated stop motion, said metallic clamp tip being adapted to clamp a spent filling end against the fixed clamp element in the course of a filling replenishing operation and whereby, upon failure of the metallic clamp tip to clamp a spent filling end against the fixed clamp element, the metallic clamp tip will contact the fixed clamp element to energize the electrically operated stop motion for stopping the loom.

4. In .an automatic filling replenishing loom, a lay, a shuttle box on the filling replenishingend of the lay, said shuttle box having a front wall provided with an opening therein, a clamp and cutter carrier movable backwardly operating means under control of the filling replenishing operation and a normally deenergized electrically operated stopmotion; theicombination of an improved cutter and clamp mechanismscomprising ametallic fixed cutter, a-

metallic fixed clamp, means supporting the fixed cutter and fixed clamp on said carrier, a movable metallic cutter,

an insulation separator and a movable insulation clamp.

holder pivotally mounted on said last-named means and beingseriallyarranged between the fixed cutter and the fixed clamp, spring means urging said fixed cutter, movable cutter, insulation separator, movable clamp holder and fixed clamp .toward .each other, a metallic tip carried by theinsulation clampholder and normally disposed between the proximal surfaces of the insulation separator and 'the, fixed clamp, said insulation separator and insulation. clamp holder;serving to insulate the metallic tip from themovable cutter, the fixed clamp and themeans supportin gfthe clamp and cutter mechanism on the carrier, an. electrical connection between the metallic tip and .the electrically operated stop motion, and means engageable with said clamp and cutter operatingmeansjin the course of a fillingreplenishing operationfor opening and closing the movable cutter, the insulation separator, the movable clamp holder and its metallietiprelative to the fixed cutter and the fixed clamp whereby, upon: absence of filling between the fixed clamp and the metallic.tip while:in closed position, electrical contact is established between the metallic tip and the fixed clamp to energize the electrical stop motion to effect loom stoppage.

5. A structure according to claim 4 wherein said clamp holder has a -channel therein extending longitudinally thereof and said electrical connection including an electrical conductor positioned in said channel and having one of its ends connected to said metallic tip and extending outwardly from the end of the clamp holder opposite from the metallic tip to said stop motion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

